Game, method of playing the same, and collapsible game board

ABSTRACT

A collapsible three-dimensional game board having platforms separated by pillars, there being elastic cords which allow the game board to be held in an erect or collapsed position. The board may be used to play a game in which tokens, which may carry numbers or letters or be in the shape of numbers or letters, are placed into empty spaces of the platforms to achieve a desired effect.

The present invention relates to a collapsible 3D (three-dimensional) game board for use with a game described in my Provisional Patent Applications No. 61/272,782 filed Nov. 2, 2009, No. 61/344,821 filed Oct. 18, 2012, and No. 61/457,465 filed Apr. 4, 2011. This application claims the benefit of the filing dates of my Provisional Applications No. 61/743,728 filed Sep. 11, 2012, which claims the benefit of my Provisional Patent Application No. 61/630,098 filed Dec. 5, 2011.

The game board comprises three horizontal platforms made of clear of translucent material and each is supported by pillars in the form of hollow tubes with one or more elastic cords threaded through the tubes and platforms that are secured above and below the pillars. The game board is thus able to be compressed or collapsed by applying a downward pressure while moving the middle platform laterally in relation to the bottom platform and the upper platform laterally in relation to the middle platform. The thus compressed or collapsed game board is able to be packaged in a small space for shipping and travel. The elastic cord or cords allow the compressed or collapsed game board to be easily uncompressed or fully opened so that it can be used to play a game.

Each set of hollow tubes that are in alignment to form a single pillar may be secured with a separate segment of elastic cord secured above and below. Alternatively, the hollow tubes may be secured with a single loop or multiple loops of elastic cord. The use of two or more loops of elastic cord, each of which traverses some or all of the pillars at least once, allows for redundancy if any one elastic cord breaks.

Each of the spaces of the 3D game board has a small piece of ferrous material or an opaque or clear magnet embedded in the platform. The games pieces are also made of, or may have embedded in them, ferrous metal or a magnet to allow them to be held in place on a specific game space. The option of a clear magnet embedded in a clear platform allows players to see through the game board space to view the other spaces or game pieces positioned behind or below. The game pieces themselves are shaped as numbers and/or letters or, if desired, in another shape that is then marked sequentially, to allow easier identification by players with visual impairment, as shown in my now abandoned patent application Ser. No. 13/317,103 filed Oct. 11, 2011 and published Oct. 4, 2012.

The invention is further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game board showing platforms 11, the vertical spacers used to form the pillars 12, and pillar end caps 13 to which the internal elastic cords are attached. The game board thus provides twenty-seven spaces into which individual game pieces may be placed, there being clear magnetic discs 14 embedded in each of those spaces make it possible for the game pieces to be held magnetically in place in each of the respective spaces. It will be understood that the end caps 13 may be omitted as the elastic cords can be left visible and be knotted at each end or there can be a continuous piece of cord running from one pillar to another.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the game board showing the top platform 11, the end caps 13, and the clear magnetic discs 14 embedded in the platform.

FIG. 2B is a top view of the game board without end caps but showing all of the structure in FIG. 2A as well as the elastic cord 15 going from pillar end to pillar end, this arrangement allowing the use of a single continuous cord.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the game board showing the platforms 11, the vertical spacers 12 used to form the pillars, and the end caps 13 on top and bottom.

FIG. 3B is a side view showing all of the structure of FIG. 3A as well as the elastic cords 15 visible as the top and middle platforms are pulled up, thus stretching elastic.

FIG. 3C is a side view showing all of the structure in FIG. 3C but with the middle platform having been pushed down and to the right to allow it to be collapsed against the bottom platform, thus compressing the game board to a shorter height.

FIG. 3D is a side view showing all of the structure of FIG. 3B but with the top platform having been pushed down and to the left to allow it to be collapsed against the middle platform, thus further compressing the game board to an even shorter height.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the 3D game board with eight numeric game pieces placed on the board. The game pieces may be letters ranging from A to Z and/or numbers ranging from 0 to 9.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the game board showing the platforms 11, the vertical spaces used to form the pillars 12, and the pillar end caps 13 to which individual internal elastic cords 15 are attached. While in this figure, and in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the elastic cord(s) are shown as slack for clarity, the actual cords are stretched tight in order to facilitate proper function of the collapsible game board.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the structure of FIG. 5A but without pillar caps 13. The elastic cord is a single continuous loop located within one of the spacers.

FIG. 5C is a perspective view showing all of the structure in FIG. 5B except that there are a plurality of separate elastic cords each of which is a single loop closed by a knot located within one of the spacers.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a set of game pieces marked with numbers.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a set of game pieces marked with letters.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary game piece in the shape of the number 1, it being understood that other game pieces representing other numbers will have the shape of such other numbers.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary game piece in the shape of the letter A, it being understood that other game pieces representing other letters will have the shape of such other letters.

The game board may be used to play different games, one example of such game being one in which sequentially marked tokens are placed in empty spaces of the board to achieve an in-line arrangement of at least three tokens. Such a game may also be played by using the above-described game board as a matrix game board so that the placing of the tokens can be effected holographically, and such placing may be effected electronically or optically.

The invention is capable of various modifications, all of which are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible game board comprising three horizontal platforms each providing a plurality of spaces onto which there may be placed a game piece, each platform being made of a clear or translucent material; a plurality of hollow tubular pillars arranged between said platforms for supporting the same; at least one elastic cord threaded through said pillars and platforms and secured above and below the same thereby rending the game board compressible or collapsible by applying a downward pressure while the middle platform laterally in relation to the bottom platform and the upper platform laterally in relation to the middle platform.
 2. A collapsible game board as defined in claim 1 wherein each space on the game board is provided with piece of ferrous material.
 3. In combination with a collapsible game board as defined in claim 2, a plurality of game pieces made of or having embedded therein a magnet to enable said game pieces to be held magnetically in a respective one of said spaces.
 4. A collapsible game board as defined in claim 1 wherein each space on the game board is provided with an opaque or clear magnet embedded in each space of said platforms.
 5. In combination with a collapsible game board as defined in claim 4, a plurality of game pieces made of or having embedded therein a magnet to enable said game pieces to be held magnetically in a respective one of said spaces.
 6. In combination with a collapsible game board as defined in claim 1, a plurality of game pieces shaped as numbers.
 7. In combination with a collapsible game board as defined in claim 1, a plurality of game pieces shaped as letters.
 8. A collapsible game board as defined in claim 1 wherein each set of hollow tubes that are in alignment to form a single pillar are secured with a separate segment of elastic cord secured above and below.
 9. A collapsible game board as defined in claim 1 comprising a single loop of elastic cord for securing all of the tubes that form the multiple aligned pillar sets.
 10. A collapsible game board as defined in claim 1 comprising a plurality of independent loops of elastic cords for securing the tubes that form the multiple aligned pillar sets.
 11. A method of playing a board game comprising the steps of placing sequentially marked tokens into empty spaces in a multiple platform game board to achieve an in-line arrangement of at least three of the token.
 12. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein said placing is effected holographically.
 13. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein said holographic placing is effected electronically.
 14. A method as defied in claim 12 wherein said holographic placing is effected optically.
 15. The invention substantially as described and/or illustrated. 